To my dearest Nuun

When my feet first stepped onto the Delta flight en route to Seattle, I was certain that I couldn't be certain of anything about the journey that lie ahead.

I didn't know whether I'd run well (I did), whether my teammates would like me (I hope) or whether I'd have to sully the Oregon countryside with a Code Brown (I did not). The only thing I felt confident in was that I was in for one heck of a trip.

And what a trip it was.

There was sprinting - and I mean sprinting - from concourse to concourse in the Detroit airport, getting a bit lost in Seattle, visiting the nest and, oh, you know, running 200 miles across Oregon. There was laughing and crying and maybe a bit of cursing. Oops. There were hugs and cheers. There were moments lived and friends made.

And none of it would have been possible without you, Nuun.

From the first breath of PNW air to the last, I was blown away by the warm welcome, hospitality and generosity of the company and the athletes behind it. I could have never dreamed about just how well the team would be treated - not as a group of bloggers to spread the message of Nuun but as people, first, and then runners.

I knew I liked Nuun when I took the trip, those little tablets that power me through tough runs and classes, but I can wholeheartedly say, without a doubt, that I love your company, its mission and the way it embraces the athletic community. I couldn't feel more blessed and honored to have spent five days representing you in the PNW.

And though my socially awkward self might not have been able to express that in person, I hope that you know, from the bottom of my heart, how grateful I am for the experience. More importantly, thank you for believing in us ... and me.